Latest news with #Sammies
Atlantic
18-06-2025
- Politics
- Atlantic
The New Danger in Trump's Washington: Honoring Federal Employees
In some ways, last night's Sammie awards—also known as the Oscars for federal employees —proceeded just as they do every year. In a packed auditorium a few blocks from the White House, government luminaries handed out medals to some of the nation's most talented civil servants, recognizing groundbreaking research, major improvements in customer service, and top-notch stewardship of taxpayer money. The ceremony, however, was unusual in one respect: Hardly any of the honorees took the stage to accept their awards. Instead, they stayed at their seats, away from the cameras. Public recognition of their good work in Donald Trump's government, organizers feared, could cost them their jobs. Such is the climate of fear that has pervaded the federal workforce during the second Trump administration, which has moved to shut down entire agencies, shrink the government through mass layoffs and inducements to quit, and crack down on dissent. The Partnership for Public Service, the nonprofit that awards the Sammies, was determined to hold the ceremony, but it did not want to put its honorees in additional jeopardy. 'The sensitivity is real,' Max Stier, the partnership's CEO, told me. 'We did not want to see them harmed in any way for being recognized for their work.' At least one federal employee who organizers wanted to honor was told by supervisors to not accept the award, Stier said. He called the administration's assault on the civil service 'a five-alarm fire.' Past Sammie ceremonies—the awards' full name is the Samuel J. Heyman Service to America Medals—have hardly been controversial. Administrations of both parties have participated in the black-tie event since its debut in 2002, sending Cabinet secretaries and other high-ranking officials to serve as presenters and laud the achievements of their underlings. TV-news stars including CBS's John Dickerson and PBS's Judy Woodruff have taken turns as emcees. (The selection committee this year included Nicholas Thompson, CEO of The Atlantic.) The evening is the one night a year when largely unheralded public servants are feted. For many years, the nonprofit partnership operated inside the Washington establishment. It has remained studiously nonpartisan and worked closely with every presidential transition since George W. Bush, including, initially, the first Trump campaign. But the escalation of Trump's attacks on federal employees has forced the partnership to take up a post, somewhat uncomfortably, in the opposition. Stier has fought the president's efforts to convert thousands of nonpartisan civil servants into political appointees, a shift that he says would revive the discredited 'spoils system' of 19th-century America. In turn, Trump allies have labeled Stier 'a Democrat activist' because of his past work as a lawyer in the Clinton administration. He was also on Bill Clinton's defense team when the president was impeached over his affair with Monica Lewinsky, then a White House intern. The first Trump administration took part in the Sammies, but Stier said the partnership did not reach out this time around. 'All the signals were that they were undermining excellence' rather than recognizing or honoring it, he said. 'Therefore we did not believe we could do that.' As a result, the event felt at times like a reunion of a government in exile. Although the ceremony did include a taped appearance by a former George W. Bush chief of staff, Joshua Bolten, former Democratic officials were overrepresented. At one point, a former Barack Obama chief of staff, Denis McDonough, spoke alongside Jeff Zients, who was Joe Biden's most recent chief of staff. At another, one of Obama's Treasury secretaries, Timothy Geithner, appeared with Biden's, Janet Yellen. The Sammies usually take place in September, with a smaller event in the spring to announce finalists. But Stier decided to move up the celebration this year. He wasn't sure how many of the honorees would still be working for the federal government in September. 'We need the public to understand that this is urgent,' Stier said. 'We cannot operate under the same timeline, because the destruction is happening so quickly.' To guard against reprisal, the honorees sat in the audience and stood when their names were called, rather than appearing onstage to talk about their work in acceptance speeches. (The ceremony will air on some PBS stations next month.) The partnership appeared torn between recognizing the recipients publicly—none of their identities were hidden—and protecting them from any punishment if officials in the Trump administration objected to their remarks or believed they were making a political statement by standing in a literal spotlight. Although the partnership has traditionally been eager to make honorees available for interviews, a spokesperson this year said some were reluctant to speak publicly 'given the current environment.' I did talk with Dr. Laura Cheever, who received a Sammie for her decades of work managing federal programs combatting and treating HIV/AIDS. She retired in December—it was 'long-planned,' she told me. She was now freer to speak, but she said she might have been at risk had she stayed, because she had signed a letter stating that recipients of federal HIV/AIDS money should be able to provide gender-affirming care to their clients—a position at odds with the Trump administration's moves to block transgender-health services. Cheever told me she thought the partnership's efforts to shield its honorees from retaliation were necessary. Inside the government, she said, 'people are working aggressively not to call attention to themselves or the work that they're doing. They're just trying to do their work.' This year's awards honored achievements across a wide swath of the government, many in areas targeted by DOGE or threatened by cuts Trump has proposed to Congress. An employee with the all-but-defunct USAID, Kathleen Kirsch, was recognized for leading efforts to help Ukraine rebuild its energy infrastructure after attacks by Russia. The IRS's Maya Bretzius received a medal for reducing wait times in the agency's call center. 'Thanks, Maya, for making calls to the IRS a little less, shall we say, taxing,' McDonough joked in his speech. Others won awards for speedily cutting checks for COVID-era relief during the first Trump administration as well as for recovering fraudulent payments. Trump's name was not uttered during the hour-long program. But before and after the ceremony, the pall cast by his cuts to the workforce dominated. Attendees commiserated over the intrusions of DOGE and a job market suddenly stuffed with fired federal workers or those looking for a way out of the government. One attendee described a 'heaviness' in his Virginia neighborhood, a suburb populated by federal workers who either had lost their jobs or feared losing them. A cancer scientist told me about research he had worked on for decades that was now at risk of losing funding. 'There's just sort of a miasma of concern that overrides everything else,' Cheever said, describing morale among her friends who are still in the government. 'It's like walking on eggshells all the time, which is just not a very comfortable place to be.' One Sammie honoree did take the stage last night—the federal employee of the year, Dave Lebryk. But his award, too, carried reminders of a civil service under siege. Lebryk was recognized for his many years as the Treasury Department official responsible for the government's payment system. Under both Republican and Democratic administrations, he oversaw trillions of dollars in annual disbursements—including the regular checks that go to Social Security recipients and veterans—while maintaining the security of a system that contains confidential information for millions of Americans. Lebryk has even seen the gold at Fort Knox. 'It really does exist. It's there,' he quipped during his speech. But in late January, he ended his 35-year career in government, resigning rather than hand over access to Treasury's sensitive payment system to Elon Musk's lieutenants at DOGE. That act of resistance helped to explain his Sammie medal, as well as his willingness to publicly accept it: The federal employee of the year is, in fact, no longer a federal employee.
Washington Post
18-06-2025
- Politics
- Washington Post
Federal employees celebrate their Oscar night under a shadow
In a glittering counternarrative to the grim uncertainty about their careers, federal workers gathered Tuesday night dressed to the nines for an awards ceremony often referred to as the Oscars for government service. The Partnership for Public Service's annual award ceremony — the Samuel J. Heyman Service to America Medals, nicknamed the Sammies — had an air of polite defiance this year, honoring problem-solvers in government at a time when the Trump administration has gone after the bureaucracy and ridiculed federal workers.
UPI
17-06-2025
- Science
- UPI
Two NASA employees cited for their civic service, 'spirit of exploration'
June 17 (UPI) -- Two NASA employees are being cited for their civic work in the nation's space industry. The Samuel J. Heyman Service to America Medals, also known as the Sammies, recognize outstanding federal employees addressing many of the country's greatest challenges. Rich Burns from NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., and John Blevins of Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala., were chosen out of 350 nominees and are a part of the 23 individuals and teams to earn this achievement. "Rich and John exemplify the spirit of exploration and service that defines NASA and our nation's civil servants," said acting NASA Administrator Janet Petro. "Their leadership, ingenuity and dedication have not only advanced America's space program but also inspired the next generation of innovators. We are proud to see their achievements recognized among the very best of federal service." Burns worked as a project manager of Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, and Security - Regolith Explorer (OSIRIS-REx). This mission started on Sept. 18, 2016, with a goal of retreiving a sample of an asteroid. "It's humbling to accept an award based on the achievements of the amazingly talented, dedicated, and innovative OSIRIS-REx team," Burns said. "I consider myself privileged to be counted among a team of true explorers who let no obstacle stand in the way of discovery." Blevins was the chief engineer of the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket. He led the team as part of Artemis l, first test flight on Nov. 16, 2022. He's currently leading the engineering team of Artemis II as that project prepares for the first crewed lunar mission. "This is a reflection on the hard work and dedication of the entire Artemis Team," Blevins said. "I am working with an incredibly competent, dedicated team agency-wide that goes above and beyond to promote the space exploration goals of our nation. I am honored to accept the award on their behalf." A ceremony will be held in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday and a live-stream on the Sammies website.
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Kendal's Lakes Sandwiches sees success at consecutive awards events
A Kendal-based sandwich business saw success at two award ceremonies on consecutive nights in London and then Liverpool. Lakes Sandwiches was praised at the capital's Sandwich & Food to Go Designer of the Year (Sammies) event, and then, twenty-four hours later, it was named in five categories at the North West Family Business Awards. Directors Mel and Scott Walmsley said that while winning would have been "beyond fantastic," their "number one prize" had already been obtained shortly before the events took place. Mel and Scott Walmsley (Image: Supplied) Mel said: "Scott has been battling with cancer for nine months, which meant our incredible team of 12 had to upskill and cover for him during some very difficult periods of treatment. "The news that surgery and radiotherapy had been successful, with Scott receiving an all-clear a couple of weeks ago, was our greatest wish granted. "Even to be nominated for the highest honours at this time meant everything. The Lakes Sandwiches team at the North West Family Business Awards (Image: Supplied) "When we were singled out for praise time and again at the ceremonies, where leading chef Theo Randall was one of the London judges, we knew just being up there was something truly amazing. "We have continued to thrive and grow despite the huge hurdles, and being finalists of such prestigious competitions allows us to shout louder and further, opening doors to new opportunities." She added: "Our values are based on people, place, and purpose. "We are totally local. "Ingredients are Cumbrian-sourced, and we absolutely support our farmers and local producers, as well as communities and the local economy. Lakes Sandwiches (Image: Supplied) "These successes show we are doing something right, and we thank everyone who voted for us from the bottom of our hearts. "We are now celebrating some momentous milestones in our growth journey - watch this space for the next chapter." More information is available at
Washington Post
20-03-2025
- Politics
- Washington Post
An ode to the remarkable people who make up the federal government
I have a special place in my heart for the Samuel J. Heyman Service to America Medals, known as the Sammies, the highest awards given to federal employees. I met my wife at the 2005 Sammies; that year, one of the top honors was given to Terence Lutes. You almost certainly haven't heard of Lutes, but every year, right around now, you are probably grateful for his existence. He was the person at the Internal Revenue Service who spearheaded the adoption of electronic filing — one of the most significant changes (and improvements!) in the way that Americans interact with the government. E-filing may now seem obvious, but of course nothing just happens — someone in some meeting somewhere had to say, 'What if we used this internet thing for taxes?' And then a whole bunch of nameless someones had to also agree and then work together for years to make it happen. Lutes does not make an appearance in 'Who Is Government?,' a new book edited by Michael Lewis, but he very well could have. The book, an outgrowth of a project led by The Washington Post's now-departed Opinions editor David Shipley, examines some of the remarkable people who make up the federal workforce — career civil servants who have accomplished the extraordinary in quiet ways, people whose jobs are normally buried layers below any partisan rancor. Perhaps never before has there been a book better timed or more urgent. Lewis assembled a group of notable writers — Casey Cep, Dave Eggers, John Lanchester, Geraldine Brooks, Sarah Vowell and W. Kamau Bell — and let them loose to find an interesting federal worker to write about. (I was a contributing columnist for The Washington Post last year but had nothing to do with this project.) Together, they paint a vivid and detailed portrait of the people behind the smooth day-to-day functioning of our federal government — and our lives. These workers see themselves as being called to a higher purpose, to serve their fellow Americans and to actually make our country greater in some highly specific way. Christopher Mark of the Department of Labor, for instance, a former coal miner, helped prevent roof falls in mines by developing industry-wide preventive standards and practices. Heather Stone of the Food and Drug Administration, who tracks and compiles data about exotic diseases, helped save the life of a child whose brain was being eaten by an amoeba. Page after page, the book breaks down the cynical caricature of the federal government that has persisted over the years and been amplified in recent months. It shows that far from being riddled with and corrupted by waste, fraud, abuse and laziness, the federal government is (or was) filled with people working hard — people painfully aware that they're stewarding government resources, doing so artfully under tight constraints, all of whom could be doing something for more money elsewhere. Lewis's 2018 book, 'The Fifth Risk,' a clarion call of the importance of government, was a runaway success, and the 'Who Is Government?' project was meant to make the case amid an ominous election season that a second Trump presidency would pose a major threat to the basic foundations of our government. It's no longer a hypothetical threat. Since taking office, President Donald Trump has unleashed haphazard and far-ranging cuts to the federal workforce — including an attempt to dismantle the federal institute that supports libraries, the parent of Voice of America and the nonpartisan Wilson Center think tank, as well as agencies that support minority businesses, mediate labor disputes, work to end homelessness and aid economically struggling communities. Considering that the contributors to the book chose their subjects nearly a year ago, and that most of the pieces were published before Trump won his second term, it's incredible how much of the book feels like a not-so-subtle indictment of what's happening now — of the avarice, corruption and destruction unfolding inside the federal government at the hands of Trump, Elon Musk and their U.S. DOGE Service wrecking crew, such as the indiscriminate firings, the politicization of nonpartisan agencies, and the illegal cessation of congressionally authorized work and missions. One of the workers highlighted in the book is employed in the National Archives, an agency now under attack from Trump. We meet the team of IRS criminal investigators who were instrumental in putting dark-web marketplace founder Ross Ulbricht behind bars. (Ulbricht was serving a life sentence for narcotics and money laundering, in a case that involved a murder-for-hire plot, only to be pardoned by Trump on his second day in office as part of a paean to the cryptocurrency world.) The book also reminds us that while Musk and Trump grandstand about how government should learn from the private sector, government actually in some cases is better. Cep profiles the head of the National Cemetery Administration, part of the Department of Veterans Affairs, which — as its name hints — runs the nation's veterans cemeteries. In survey after survey, its customers (the families of veterans) have given it the highest satisfaction rating of any entity in the United States, public or private — 12 points higher than Costco's stunningly high rating of 85. Lewis trumpets himself a bit more than necessary in his introduction — he is not exactly the first person to discover that the U.S. government is filled with interesting and honorable stories — but the profiles themselves serve as a balm for the chaos of our government right now. To read them — each takes about 20 minutes — is to drift into an alternate universe filled with the most thoughtful and caring people doing hard things for all the right reasons. 'Who Is Government?' will remind you why government is so important, of the thousands of small ways that it shapes and secures our lives for the better. As former IRS commissioner Danny Werfel says: 'The quality of life we have, it's all government. Government touches you a hundred times before breakfast, and you don't even know it.' The book shows — in specific ways — how much safer and more secure daily life is today than it was even a generation or two ago. But more than that, the book is filled with a thousand reminders of why we have government: Because no one else will do these things. There is no profit motive in much of the work, no private business that will step in and spend years or decades solving these difficult challenges. As Eggers notes — in words written months ago that feel so prescient — 'No billionaires will fund work like this because there's no money in it. … If [government was] not doing it, it would not be done.' We have government because we want our country to be a great place to live, work and play. What fills me with dread reading this book is that the next reminder we will get about the importance of government in our daily lives will come not in a laudatory, artful profile but in a crisis, when we find out that the person who should have been watching or monitoring or doing this one very specific task we've never thought about is no longer there. Garrett M. Graff is a journalist, historian and author of nine books, including 'Watergate: A New History.' The Untold Story of Public Service Edited by Michael Lewis. Riverhead. 243 pp. $30
